Branson Missouri’s Best Restaurants

Vacationers who arrive in the country music mecca and attraction center of Branson, Missouri are often overwhelmed by the many dining options. Highway 76 – The Strip – is lined with eateries of every description, from favorite fast food outlets to local restaurants with unique flair. So are the city’s other business routes and choosing a place to dine can be daunting.

To narrow the field, insider information on some of Branson’s best restaurants can help make the choice simpler.

Those seeking the familiar ambiance and comfort food of a home town cafe will enjoy a meal at the city’s oldest restaurant, The Shack Cafe on Commercial Street, downtown. Once housed in an actual shack, this cafe moved years ago to a better location. If the meat loaf and fried chicken aren’t filling enough, be sure to order the raisin cream pie for dessert.

Also downtown, diners might enjoy a traditional plate lunch special or short order at The Branson Cafe on Main Street. Their fried chicken rivals that at The Shack around the corner and daily specials keep prices affordable for family budgets. Across the street, the Farmhouse Restaurant is a relative newcomer with just thirty-five years or so of service. The Farmhouse offers breakfast any time of day along with their specialty: chicken fried steak and other down home menu choices.

If Oriental food is the order of the day, don’t despair. Several Asian style restaurants operate in Branson. Two of the best include Tran’s Chinese Buffet on 76 Country Boulevard. Operated by a Chinese refugee from Vietnam who arrived in 1979 with nothing, Tran’s offers up excellent Chinese food at low prices – and a buffet. Next door, Great Wall offers their magnificent buffet that includes Italian, American, seafood, and Chinese along with Mongolian barbecue. Locals seems to prefer Tran’s but both places offer a good meal for a low price.

Steak is always a favorite of American diners. Try your favorite steak Aussie style at The Outback Steak and Oyster Bar on the Strip. This restaurant has a definite Down Under theme with dining available indoors or outside on one of the wide verandas. Fresh baked bread is served in the bucket it bakes in. Khaki dressed wait staff will bring your order of steak, lamb chops, seafood, or an appetizer of alligator to your table with a smile. The food is good but it’s worth the ambiance to dine here as well.

For an more traditional steak and ‘tater experience, visit Shorty Small’s on Yellow Ribbon Road. Their slogan “Short on name but big on barbecue” describes this homey place with great burgers, fine steaks, and smoky, good barbecue. If you leave full, take time to buy a T-shirt that proclaims “I Pigged Out At Shorty Small’s”!

An unique and fun dinner can be had at Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede. She bills the place as “the most fun place to eat in Branson” and most people agree. Housed in a huge, beautiful building with the outward style of a graceful Southern mansion, you’ll enjoy a four course meal that includes ribs, hickory smoked chicken, vegetables, dessert, and your beverage. There’s more here than just a meal, however – diners are treated to a show that includes horse racing, trick riding, rope stunts, music, and even fireworks. Two Stampedes are served each night in season and because it’s popular, be sure to call for reservations!

If you’d like to enjoy a meal out on the water, visit The Lake Queen, a paddle wheel river boat that has traveled the waters of Lake Taneycomo for more than thirty years. Breakfast and dinner excursions are offered and the buffet is fantastic.

At most amusement parks, the food is a poor second to the fun but not at Silver Dollar City. Chef Zader personally supervises all the food served at this park from the street vendors to the sit-down eateries. A professional in every way, Zader trained at the Culinary Institute of America and his bottled barbecue sauces are available both at the park and in supermarkets throughout the region. Enjoy a full buffet at Molly’s Mill that includes fried chicken, ham, catfish and much more or try the barbecue buffet in the Mine Restaurant. Too many other restaurants operate in the park to list but the variety ranges from hickory smoked chicken to Italian offerings and juicy burgers. During the park’s annual World Fest, try dishes from around the world and look for a pizza/pasta buffet served up only during the yearly Kid’s Fest. Kettle popcorn, scrumptious baked goods, and homemade ice cream are just a few of the snacks also available from vendors in the park.

For elegant, fine dining, visit the Chateau Grille at the Chateau on the Lake Resort Hotel. With a four diamond rating from AAA, the hotel and the Grille offer excellence. The dining room offers a spectacular view and the food is exquisite.

If you have time for a short drive, take Highway 65 north to Ozark for a dining experience you’ll never forget. At Lambert’s Cafe, you’ll eat old-fashioned country cooking that includes pork chops, ham, meatloaf, liver and onions, and more. Pass around dishes that the staff will refill as long as the diners keep eating include fried okra, fried potatoes, black eyed peas and fried apples. Lambert’s is billed as “the home of the throwed rolls” and look out. Hot rolls whiz back and forth across the room as wait staff pitches them to diners in a tradition that dates back to 1942 in the original Lambert’s in Sikeston, Missouri. The only drawback to eating at Lambert’s is that they are busy and you’ll likely have to wait for a table.

Countless other restaurants are open for business in the area and most of them are very good. Ask locals for their recommendations on their favorite places to eat for more suggestions and enjoy! One of the best things about Branson is the quality and variety of the food.